Geminoid Robot

The teams of researchers from Osaka University have developed a humanoid robot (human form) that can mimic human expressions such as like a laugh and a smile.

This robot named TMF Geminoid can move the face which is made from rubber, to smile and laugh by showing rows of teeth, even can express a sadness and melancholy with a furrowed brow. All that imitated the robot by receiving signals from a person.

The research team led by Hiroshi Ishiguro then held a demonstration by presenting a robot that his form was imitating a young woman with long black-haired in age about 20. Robot and ‘the real’ young woman were gave the same dress.

When the woman smiled and furrowed her brow, the robot was imitating the woman’s mimic gestures. Previously, the women’s face has been recorded by video and information from the video was then given to the robot so that later expression of that woman will be imitated by robot via electrical signals. “It was like having twins,” said the woman.
The developer expressed their hope that eventually these technologies may be useful in real life, such as in hospitals. “We have received data showing that the robot was able to give security to the patient with a nod and smile when the patient was examined by a doctor,” said Satoko Inoue, a spokesman for Kokoro, one of two companies that sponsored the development of the technology.

“Indeed, these new technologies often create fear and negative opinions, but the team just wanted to create a robot that can express themselves like humans,” says Ishiguro. According to the plan, the robot was sold for 10 million yen (U.S. $ 110 thousand), mostly to organizations robot developers, Ishiguro said.